Joseph s



gleiten tant agement @Hina IMPROVEMENT IN EORSE-RAKES.

dlp .tlgaule nicht tu' in tipa tnica tentait :inenting 'part at tlg 5mm.

To ALL wnoM rr MAY coNcERN:

De it known that I, JOSEPH S. RANDALL, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and improved Horse Hay-Rake; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this speeiiieation, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of the horse hay-rake with the points of the rake-teeth in working position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the machine taken in a vertical plane, showing the rake-teeth thrown up out of action.

Figure 3 is a top view of g. 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the raketeeth and its guides.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on machines which are designed for raking hay in windrows preparatory to gathering and cooking it; and particularly to that class of hay-raices having their teeth so applied that each tooth is allowed to yield and pass'over obstructions, at the same time all the teeth can be raised or depressed at pleasure by the attendant upgn the machine.

The nature of my invention consists in the application of sliding-rake teeth`to a vibrating-frame, in such manner that while all the teeth composing the rake can be raised or depressed at pleasure, each tooth is allowed to rise quickly over obstructions and then to return again to a raking position, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

The frame of the machine consists of longitudinal beams, which are connected together by transverse beams :in such manner as to form a Very light but strong frame, A, which is supported upon the axle B of two transporting-wheels C C. A platform, D, is secured upon the two intermediate transverse beams of said frame, from which standards project that support the longitudinal seat D', upon which the attendant sits astride. On one side of the platform D is a lever, E, which is pivoted to the axle B so as to vibrate longitudinally. This lever moves between the edge of the platform and a curved guide, e, against which latter a spring, a, which is secured to said lever, presses, so as to force the latter up against the platform, thus holding the lever either in a forward or a backward position against the ends of the offsetb. The thills are attached to frame A by having slots through their rear ends, through which the perpendicular standards ce pass, and when thus applied pins are passed through said standards over the ends of the thills. A hole is made through the thill-bar through which a pin, c, passes that connects the thills and also the single-tree to the front transverse beam of the frame A. By thus attaching the thills they will not be strained in moving the machine over uneven ground.

To. the rear ends of the frame-beams A, a vibrating rake-frame is attached by means of hinges e. This frame consists of two parallel bars F and G, which are connected together at a proper distance apart by means of perpendicular posts H. This frame extends transversely across the rear end or" fra-me A, and its bar G is hinged to standards Z d, on said frame, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. The upper bar F has a number of oblong slots through it, corresponding to the number of rake-teeth which it is desired to use, which slots are adapted for receiving through them the upper ends of the rake-teeth J, and allowing these teeth to more freely up and down, and also to vibrate, as will be hereinafter further explained. The lower bar Gr has a number of slots .through it corresponding to the number of slots through the bar F, and arranged in the same planes, through which slots pass forked pieces Lr/g, which project out infront and in rear of the bar G, as shown in the drawings. The rear forked ends of the pieces g form guides for supporting the teeth J, which pass through or between them, against lateral displacement, and serve, in conjunction with the guide-bar F, to keep the rako-tceth parallel to cach other. The front projecting endsof said forked pieces g have springs 7l secured firmly to them, the lower ends of which springs are secured iirmlyto the front edges of the teeth J, at a proper height from their points or raking ends. These springs 7L form the attachment of the teeth to their vibrating-Frame, and keep the teeth forcibly pressed against the back of bar G, so that the lower ends of the teeth will be iirmly held to their work. Should the teeth moet with an obstruction which would he liable to break them, the springs [1.

will yield suiiciently to allow them to rise and pass over such obstruction uninj ured. Each rake-tooth is'applied to the vibrating-frame so that it is allowed to have a backward and upward yielding movement independently of the other teeth in the rake, by which arrangement only that tooth which meets with undue resistance will yield backward. It will be seen by reference to the drawings that the rakcfteeth are curved, and applied to their swinging-frame so as to incline backward, that is to say, their raking points are in advance of their upper ends, so as to afford the proper pitch or rake for moving freely over the ground and gathering up the scattered hay. Being thus arranged it is obvious that the teeth eouldinot be pivoted, and swing backward about a pivot, but by so applying them that they can slide upward as they are forced backward by meeting with an undue resistance, it will be seen that the teeth can be inclined to any desired degree. By such an arrangement of sliding-teeth I am enabled to use teeth which have no spring in themselves, and also which are very much shorter than pivoted teeth. A metallic spring-tooth, whiehis properly curved and pivoted, will, upon meeting with resistanceiin its path, have to move backward a considerable distance to free itselfl from the obstruction. It will then, upon reeoiling, be forced suddenly downward into the roots, or tangled grass, and thus greatly increase the power required to draw the machine. To obviate these objections to spring-teeth, balls and slices have been applied to their raking ends, but with little or no success. `By the invention herein set forth, the rake-teeth have-no fixed points or pivots, and are allowed to slide bodily upward as their lower ends are forced backward. Thus by a comparatively short movement the-teeth will pass over au obstruction of rebnsiderable size, and then return to their work again. lo the lever E, a rod, E, is pivoted at its front end, the rear end of which rod is pivoted to an arm, z', which projects from the rake-tooth frame, so that by vibrating lever E the attendant can raise and depress the rake. A l

For'the purpose of cleaning the rake-teeth of hay I employ fork-teeth, k, which are pivoted to vertically adjustable supports, ZZ, and operated by means of the lever E, through the medium of a chain, m, and pulley n. When lever E is moved forward and the rake raised out of working position, the fork-teeth will be depressed so as to clear the rake-teeth and press the gathered load upon the ground, as shown in iig. 2. When thc lever E is moved backward to depress the rake-teeth, the fork-teeth will he raised, as shown in lig. l.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The independent sliding-rake teeth furnished with springs, and arranged upon a a hinged bar, Gr, and operated substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the independent sliding-rake teeth furnished with springs, with the hinged bar G, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described. l

3. rlhe combination of slotted bar F, hinged bar Gr, forked pieces g, and curved rake-teeth J, with springs L, arranged upon a. frame, A, substantially as described.

4. A vertically adjustable vibrating fork, in combination with a vibrating hay-rake, substantially ns described.

5. The arrangement of the springs 7L, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

JOSEPH S; RANDALL.

Witnesses:

J. W. Pnnen, N. H. BnIeGs. 

